Cheddar Buttermilk Waffle BLTs

I still have daydreams of my Dance Like Nobody’s Watching jaunt in the laundromat. I haven’t done it yet mostly because I’m scared and also… I’m not Beyonce.

The daydreams are still there. They’ve transferred from my Venice Beach laundromat to the streets of the French Quarter. In my daydreams I’m taking over the streets to The Naked and Famous song Girls Like You. I’ve got all the jump moves and hip gyrating, spins and flips I need to look like… not an idiot. It’s still just a daydream. I know it’s been years and years of a daydream. Your patience is appreciated. Beyonce wasn’t built in a day. (I just likened Beyonce with Rome AND I’VE NEVER BEEN SO RIGHT ABOUT ANYTHING EVER!).

While Rome (and dance videos) are built in daydreams… at least I’m in the kitchen cooking like nobody’s watching.

Except someone is watching…

And he’s really bossy about what happens to all of the bacon in the house.

What happened here is this: I put bacon, lettuce, and tomato in between two cheesy waffles. Nothing but trouble.

I was cooking (and smashing food in my face) like no one was watching. Well. No one my height was watching. No one with thumbs was watching. Just me, and this, and three minutes later a dance party for one.

This is just real life. I gather all of my ingredients on my dining room table and try to will myself to remember to buy more baking powder to refill my baking jar. The willing hasn’t worked in weeks. You’d think I’d just write it down on a list. Nope.

We’re adding both baking powder (the very last that I have) and baking soda in these waffles. We want lots of fluff!

Flour is mixed with salt, sugar, and black pepper in addition to the leavening ingredients. Commence with the usual fork whisking.

The eggs are cracked into a medium bowl to bring the wet ingredients together.

Buttermilk because… YES, ALWAYS!

Melted butter is always whisked into the eggs and milk.

We get to marry these two.

Sharp cheddar cheese, too!

We want to make these waffles all the way salty and savory.

The batter is cheesed and stirred and then left to rest for about 5 minutes while the waffle iron heats up. The batter will thicken as it rests. Good news!

I don’t mind the rough edges of these cheese waffles. This sort of imperfection is charming.

Now we’re in business!

The waffles are cooked and resting on a wire rack to prevent sogginess. The bacon is baked up crisp. The lettuce is clean, the tomatoes are sliced. I mean… this feels really right.

Let’s just be mayonnaise people… just for this one recipe. It’s perfect for these BLTs. I mixed my mayonnaise with a big spoonful of whole grain mustard and a good dusting of coarsely ground black pepper. Flava!

Schmears are generous. Bacon is stacked!

Crisp lettuce is essential. Walk away from the limp stuff. I used a crisp romaine. Tomatoes are getting real! I sprinkled my tomato slices with a bit of sea salt to bring out the flavor.

Sandwiched.

Honestly speaking… this is the best thing ever! It’s that simple. There are bacon and cheese waffles. Crisp vegetables are important elements. Spiced up mayonnaise plays an important supporting role. It’s breakfast. It’s lunch. It’s brunch. It’s stand at the kitchen table and smash it into your face as quickly as you can.

To cook the bacon, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange bacon slices in a single layer across the pan. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, or until desired crispness is reached. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain some of the oil. When cool enough to handle, slice the bacon in half.

To make the waffles, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, and sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until just incorporated. Stir in the cheese. Try not to over-mix the batter. If a few lumps remain in the batter, that’s ok.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions. Allow cooked waffles to rest on a wire rack to they don’t get soggy.

To assemble the sandwiches, in a small bowl stir together mayonnaise, mustard, and black pepper. Spread the mixture on each waffle. Top each waffle with four half slices of bacon, a few leaves of lettuce, and a few slices of tomato. Top with another waffle. Slice and half and serve!

Looks so delicious – unfortunately I’m temporarily trying to cut out dairy. Not sure I’m convinced of it’s negative effects but I thought i’d give it a trial and see if I notice any difference. Does anyone else have any thoughts about the effects of dairy?